Undercover officer shot in the face during gun ring investigation

An officer with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was shot in the face early Friday morning while working undercover on a joint illegal gun investigation with the Chicago Police Department.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the unnamed agent—aged late 20s—was injured around 3:15 a.m. in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago.

“I need an escort to a (expletive) hospital right now,” one officer said over police radio after the shooting. “Officer hit. We need an escort to a hospital now.”

“He may be hit in the head,” another voice added.

The wounded officer was taken to Stroger Hospital for treatment. Outside the medical facility, Celinez Nunez, the special agent in charge of the ATF Chicago field division, told the news media that the officer “is anticipated to make a full recovery.”

ATF officials also said that the incident occurred while the officer was working on an illegal gun investigation. Last summer, a strike force began trying to block illegal guns from entering the city of Chicago and ensuring that repeat gun law offenders face the consequences. Forty officers comprise the task force, with ATF agents, Chicago police officers, and Illinois State Police officers participating in the effort.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the Chicago PD tasked hundreds of officers with locating the shooter Friday, who is still at large.

Residents of the area told the newspaper that they heard many shots exchanged. It is unclear whether or not the unidentified gunman was shot when police returned fire.